Opening invocation for Ifa divination

Before starting any divination, it’s a good idea to invoke the oracle, to “make it come alive”. There are many ways of doing this, and I usually take a very short road myself because after thirty years of practice it takes me just a couple of hand gestures and a few second to “get there”. However, every now and then, especially with a new client, I like to take the more extensive road below because it also influences the client in a positive way.

The stuff below is highly unorthodox, you won’t find this specific way of opening the Oracle anywhere else. But hey: we’re Independent, and we do things the way they work… not how others tell us they should be done!

As you live in heaven and on earth alike, Olodumare,
you are the first we praise, our Creator.
We praise the morning powers of the East.
We praise the evening (Members: click to read on)

Consecration of the cowries

After you’ve got your shells prepared by opening up the bellies, it’s time to “consecrate” them. “Consecrate”… sounds like a monumental, extremely spiritual task, only to be performed by the highest priests who are already almost Saints… but in fact it’s a fairly simple procedure that any sensible human being can do. I’ll give you one simple format here, but there are many more ways to do it… my way is not the only way, it’s just mine.

Begin by cleansing the shells in/under cool streaming water. If you don’t have a peaceful little river or a pleasant brook around, the tap above the kitchen sink will do quite nicely. Remember: Ifa is not really about all that hopscotch, hootenanny and fancy dress stuff that has become so popular in (Members: click to read on)

Although this drawing shows an Opon Ifa, its quadrants are at least as applicable to the round tray on which Owo Merindinlogun (Dilogun) are cast. Bear in mind that in Ifa-Orisha tradition the top of the tray is the East. Soon, in my “Ifa for Dummies” lessons (members only) on this site, I will explain how I work with these quadrants. In the mentime it will give you some things to think about, and figure out for yourselves!

The quarterly Odu for the Ilé Dafa for the months Januari, Februari and March of the year 2013 is Oturupon-Ika. The short summary is: Under the influence of Oturopon-Ika we may expect spiritual transformation, great prosperity and healing. (Members: click to read on)

Preparing the cowries

After having acquired your cowrie shells, the next step is fysically preparing them. The shells must become random generators, and in order to have an equal chance to fall on either side, the backside or “belly” of the shells need to be partly broken away. You start this process by placing the point of a knife in the slit or mouth of the cowrie, taking care that the underground is neither too hard nor too soft: wood will do very well. Then, while with one hand holding the knife, with the other hand you deliver a gentle yet firm tap on the top of the knife hilt. Below you see how that’s done, and for those who are interested: the knife is a Fairbairn-Sykes Third Model, fully original and in mint (Members: click to read on)

This a restricted membership site

The entrance to this site is strictly guarded. This is a "House of Ifa" for free and independent spirits who do not want to join a House/Ilé in any existing branch like YTR or Lucumi. Dogmatists have no place here - others may want to have a look at, and possibly knock on, our front door via "Tour Ilé Dafa". Have fun!

Some useful pages

Copyright, copywrong… a waiver

My teaching, if that is the word you want to use, has no copyright. You are free to copy, reproduce, distribute, interpret, misinterpret, distort, garble, do what you like, even claim authorship, without my consent or the permission of anybody.In short: I don't give a fiddler's fuck.

I did it my way… and still do it!

This website shows the way of one single Ifa practitioner, i.e. me. It is not meant to teach you anything, nor influence you, make you believe that my way is better than yours, induce you to tell me that your way is better than mine, or anything. Its only purpose is to share with you the way I live with Ifa, the way that I have come to love because it works.